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Archimedes Pharma Launches Lazanda® - the Only Fentanyl Nasal Spray for the Management of Breakthrough Pain in Cancer in the U.S.


News provided by

Archimedes Pharma Ltd.

17 Oct, 2011, 12:00 GMT

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READING, England and BEDMINSTER, New Jersey, October 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- The Innovative Delivery System of Lazanda Offers a New Approach for Adult Cancer Patients Experiencing Debilitating Breakthrough Pain

Archimedes Pharma Ltd., and its subsidiary, Archimedes Pharma U.S. Inc., today announced that Lazanda® (fentanyl) nasal spray is now available by prescription in U.S. pharmacies.  Lazanda is indicated for the management of breakthrough pain in cancer patients 18 years of age and older who are already receiving and who are tolerant to opioid therapy for their underlying persistent cancer pain. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Lazanda on June 30, 2011, marking the first product approval for Archimedes Pharma in the U.S. and the first fentanyl nasal spray in the U.S.

Breakthrough pain, experienced by more than half of patients with cancer who have pain, can be debilitating to  patients and interfere with their ability to engage in daily living activities. Different from the constant background pain many patients with cancer experience, breakthrough pain is described as an intense, excruciating pain with rapid onset and relatively short duration, which occurs despite taking appropriate opioid therapy for background pain.    

"Even though the incidence of breakthrough pain is high in cancer patients, it is often not correctly identified nor reported," said Nash Gabrail, MD, MRCP, of the Gabrail Cancer Center and clinical investigator for Lazanda.  "If reported, it is typically managed by either increasing the dose of background opioids or giving an additional dose of a short-acting oral opioid - neither of which is optimal therapy.  Lazanda, with its rapid and controlled availability, can provide pain relief with an onset of action and duration of effect that addresses the time course of a typical breakthrough pain episode."

Lazanda uses Archimedes' patented PecSys® drug delivery system, which allows the active ingredient to be rapidly absorbed across the nasal membrane and directly into the blood stream. Lazanda is marketed as PecFent® (fentanyl pectin nasal spray) in Europe, where it is presently available in six countries.  

"As the first and only treatment option in the U.S. offering fentanyl through nasal administration, Lazanda provides clinically proven pain relief to adult cancer patients suffering from breakthrough pain," noted Jeffrey H. Buchalter, chief executive officer of Archimedes Pharma. "The availability of Lazanda also is an exciting milestone for Archimedes Pharma as it marks our first product launch in the U.S. and represents the expansion of the brand from Europe."

Lazanda will be available through a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program, which is intended to minimize the risk of misuse, abuse, addiction, overdose, and serious complications due to medication errors. Under the Lazanda REMS program, pharmacies, distributors, and health care professionals who prescribe to outpatients are required to enroll in the program to dispense, distribute, and prescribe Lazanda.

About Lazanda® (fentanyl) nasal spray  

Lazanda contains fentanyl, which is a Schedule II controlled substance, and uses Archimedes Pharma's patented drug delivery system, PecSys®.  

Lazanda, incorporating PecSys technology, delivers fentanyl in a rapid, but controlled manner and is designed to deliver a fine mist spray to a mucus membrane, in this case the nasal membrane.  Each spray of Lazanda forms a gel when it contacts the nasal mucosa; the active ingredient is then rapidly absorbed across the mucus membrane and directly into the blood stream.

The efficacy of Lazanda for the management of breakthrough pain in adult cancer patients was established in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study in patients receiving opioid therapy for background pain, in which Lazanda showed a statistically significant improvement compared with placebo on the primary endpoint, the sum of the pain intensity difference at 30 minutes (SPID30). More than 500 patients evaluated in the clinical trial program (which included three phase III clinical trials) contributed to the understanding of the tolerability and safety profile of Lazanda. The most common adverse events associated with Lazanda were consistent with opioid treatment and included vomiting, nausea, pyrexia (fever), and constipation.

    
    IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
    WARNINGS: POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE and IMPORTANCE OF PROPER PATIENT 
     SELECTION
    --------------------------------------------------------------
    Lazanda(R) contains fentanyl, an opioid agonist and a Schedule II
     controlled substance, with an abuse liability similar to other
     opioid analgesics. Lazanda can be abused in a manner similar to
     other opioid agonists, legal or illicit. Consider the potential
     for abuse when prescribing or dispensing Lazanda in situations
     where the physician or pharmacist is concerned about an
     increased risk of misuse, abuse, or diversion. Schedule II
     opioid substances, which include morphine, oxycodone,
     hydromorphone, oxymorphone, and methadone, have the highest
     potential for abuse and risk of fatal overdose due to
     respiratory depression. Serious adverse events, including
     deaths, in patients treated with other oral transmucosal
     fentanyl products have been reported.  Deaths occurred as a
     result of improper patient selection (e.g., use in opioid non-
     tolerant patients) and/or improper dosing. The substitution of
     Lazanda for any other fentanyl product may result in fatal
     overdose.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Lazanda is indicated only for the management of breakthrough pain
     in cancer patients 18 years of age and older who are already
     receiving and who are tolerant to opioid therapy for their
     underlying persistent cancer pain. Patients considered opioid
     tolerant are those who are taking at least 60 mg of oral
     morphine/day, 25 mcg of transdermal fentanyl/hour, 30 mg of
     oxycodone/day, 8 mg oral hydromorphone/day, 25 mg oral
     oxymorphone/day, or an equianalgesic dose of another opioid for
     one week or longer.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Lazanda is contraindicated in opioid non-tolerant patients and
     is contraindicated in the management of acute or postoperative
     pain, including headache/migraine, dental pain, or use in the
     emergency room. Life-threatening respiratory depression could
     occur at any dose in opioid non-tolerant patients. Deaths have
     occurred in opioid non-tolerant patients treated with other
     fentanyl products. When prescribing, do not convert patients on
     a mcg per mcg basis from another fentanyl product to Lazanda.
     Patients beginning treatment with Lazanda must begin with
     titration from the 100 mcg dose. (see Dosage and Administration)
     When dispensing, do not substitute a Lazanda prescription for
     any other fentanyl product. Substantial differences exist in the
     pharmacokinetics of Lazanda compared to other fentanyl products
     that could result in clinically important differences in the
     rate and extent of absorption of fentanyl and could result in
     fatal overdose.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Special care must be used when dosing with Lazanda.  If the
     breakthrough pain episode is not relieved, patients must wait at
     least 2 hours before taking another dose of Lazanda. (see Dosage
     and Administration)
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Lazanda is intended to be used only in the care of opioid
     tolerant patients with cancer and only by healthcare
     professionals who are knowledgeable of, and skilled in, the use
     of Schedule II opioids to treat cancer pain.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------
    Patients and their caregivers must be instructed that Lazanda
     contains a medicine in an amount that can be fatal in children,
     in individuals for whom it is not prescribed, and in those who
     are not opioid tolerant. Lazanda must be kept out of the reach
     of children at all times. (see Patient/Caregiver Instructions)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------
    The concomitant use of Lazanda with cytochrome P450 3A4
     inhibitors may result in an increase in fentanyl plasma
     concentrations and may cause potentially fatal respiratory
     depression.
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Because of the risk for misuse, abuse, addiction, and overdose,
     Lazanda is available only through a restricted program, required
     by the Food and Drug Administration, called the Lazanda REMS(R)
     (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy) program.  Under the
     Lazanda(R) REMS program, healthcare professionals who prescribe to
     outpatients, pharmacies, and distributors must enroll in the
     program to prescribe, receive, dispense, and distribute Lazanda,
     respectively. [see Warnings and Precautions].  Further
     information is available at http://www.LazandaREMS.com or by calling
     1-855-841-4234.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------

Contraindications

  • Lazanda is contraindicated in the management of pain in opioid non-tolerant patients, because life-threatening hypoventilation could occur at any dose in patients not already taking around-the-clock opioid therapy.
  • Lazanda is contraindicated in the management of acute or postoperative pain, including headache/migraine, dental pain, or use in the emergency room.
  • Lazanda is contraindicated in patients with known intolerance or hypersensitivity to any of its components or the drug fentanyl. Anaphylaxis and hypersensitivity have been reported in association with the use of other oral transmucosal fentanyl products.

Warnings And Precautions

  • Patients must not be converted to Lazanda from other fentanyl products because it is not equivalent to other fentanyl products on a mcg per mcg basis, and such substitution could result in a fatal overdose; do not substitute Lazanda for another fentanyl product when being dispensed.
  • Serious or fatal respiratory depression can occur even at recommended doses in patients using Lazanda. Respiratory depression is more likely to occur in patients with underlying respiratory disorders and elderly or debilitated patients, in opioid non-tolerant patients, or when opioids are given in conjunction with other drugs that depress respiration.
  • Lazanda could be fatal to individuals for whom it is not prescribed and for those who are not opioid tolerant.
  • Patients and their caregivers must be instructed that Lazanda contains medicine in an amount that could be fatal to a child and thus must keep both used and unused bottles in their child-resistant container and out of the reach of children at all times and all residual fentanyl must be emptied before disposal.
  • Patients on concomitant CNS depressants must be monitored for a change in opioid effects and adjust the dose of Lazanda.
  • Concomitant use with potent cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitors may increase depressant effects including hypoventilation, hypotension, and profound sedation. Monitor and consider dosage adjustment if warranted.
  • Cautiously adjust the dose of Lazanda in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or preexisting medical conditions predisposing them to respiratory depression.
  • Administer Lazanda with extreme caution in patients particularly susceptible to intracranial effects of CO2 retention, such as those with evidence of increased intracranial pressure or impaired consciousness.
  • Patients taking Lazanda must be warned that opioid analgesics impair the mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially dangerous tasks (e.g., driving a car or operating machinery).
  • Use Lazanda with caution in patients with bradyarrhythmias.
  • Lazanda is not recommended for use in patients who have received MAO inhibitors within 14 days, because severe and unpredictable potentiation by MAO inhibitors has been reported with opioid analgesics.

Drug Interactions

  • Potential interactions may occur when Lazanda is given concurrently with agents that affect CYP3A4 activity.  Monitor patients for signs of opioid toxicity who begin therapy with, or increase the dose of, inhibitors of CYP3A4 or stop therapy with, or decrease the dose of, inducers of CYP3A4. Monitor patients who are taking vasoconstrictive nasal agents to treat allergic rhinitis for potentially impaired pain management.

Use In Specific Populations

  • Safety and efficacy below 18 years of age have not been established.
  • There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of Lazanda in pregnant women.  Do not use Lazanda during labor and delivery or in women who are nursing.
  • Lazanda should be administered with caution in patients with impaired renal or hepatic function and titrated to clinical effect in patients with severe renal or hepatic disease.

Adverse Reactions

  • Most common adverse events during titration (frequency greater than or equal to 5%): nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.
  • Most common adverse events during maintenance (frequency greater than or equal to 5%): vomiting, nausea, pyrexia, and constipation.

Please see the accompanying full Prescribing Information including boxed warning. For more information, please visit http://www.lazanda.com/Lazanda_PI.pdf.

About Archimedes Pharma

Archimedes Pharma is an international specialty pharmaceutical company providing novel and advanced treatments to address unmet needs for people living with serious or life-threatening chronic and debilitating illnesses.  Archimedes Pharma markets a diverse portfolio of speciality products and has operations in the U.S. and throughout Europe.  Archimedes Pharma U.S. Inc. is a subsidiary of Archimedes Pharma Ltd. For more information, please visit: http://www.ArchimedesPharma.com.

Lazanda®, PecFent®, and PecSys® are registered trademarks of Archimedes Development Ltd.

ARCH-2011-007

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